Olivia Newport has penned a fabulous historically
accurate novel in Wonderful Lonesome
(Shiloh Run Press). This novel is
achingly beautiful and rich in the descriptive prose of the Colorado landscape
and the Amish farmer’s reality of drought and poverty.
Our main character Abbie, 23 years old, has moved with
her family a few years ago, from Ohio to Elbert County, Colorado. It is now May, 1914 and the small community
of twelve Amish families is suffering both spiritually and financially. There has been almost no rain for two
years. Last year’s crop was destroyed by
drought and this year’s crop isn’t looking any better. Spiritually, the community is also facing a
drought. They have not had Sunday
services in months. They do not have a
Bishop or ministers and none of the nearby Amish Bishops will visit and conduct
services.
Abbie strongly believed that if only the twelve families
in their small Amish community could find a minister to preach and conduct
services, it would bring the community closer, more united, and they could
attract more Amish families from back East to join them. But no one steps up and despair grows within
their hearts. The Amish families are
barely scraping by; day after day of scorching sun is ruining their crops. Illness, poverty, and depression are taking a
toll on the families.
Even in the midst of all this misery, Abbie continues her
courtship with Willem, a single Amish man who also uprooted himself from back
East and bought significant acreage in Colorado. He is determined to succeed. Willem and Abbie have been courting for a
couple of years while Willem tippy toes around the marriage question. Abbie keeps waiting for his proposal. Another single Amish neighbor, Rudy, has his
eyes on Abby as well.
Olivia Newport has beautifully written a heartbreaking,
yet uplifting novel of Amish life in 1914 Colorado. She delves into the question, is it really an
Amish community if the community never has church services and has no minister? Abby and Willem are of one mind on many
subjects, but what happens when spiritual matters leave them divided? How many disasters and disappointments does
one endure? At what point does one give
up and return back East? Wonderful Lonesome is an extremely thought-provoking
and readable book. This appealing, page-turning
book was published September 1, 2014.
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